Django's Castle - New Hank album

[Didier]

Confirmation of what Hoffers said about market research: by pure chance I was involved in such a session to select tracks for the Reflections album. But please - don't blame me for the results!

Alan

There are some nice tracks on the "Reflection" album, I wouldn't mind a "Reflection 2" album !

Didier

[hankb56]

For the record ,pardon the pun, I will definatly buy the new album as I have done with every other album Hank and the Shads has released including Brian's solo work then decide whether I like it or not. I have collected everything they have recorded and I'm not stopping now! But on saying this I have every confidence in the album as it will be good to hear another side of Hank as did Guitar Player!

Ian

[howarddobson]

I'm really looking forward to tis new album - it's been years since a new Hank album and we know this is something Hank has been really enthusiastic about.

I've enjoyed discovering the various Shadows eras this last six or so years and I don't think they've done themselves an injustice focusing on covers.

The first albums I bought were Moonlight Shadows, and The Singles Collection 80s and 90s - and I was amazed how great they sounded. I've since seen a lot of criticism for the Shadows' work in the 80s - but I thought they produced some brilliant tracks during those years.

I then got The Complete Singles - As and Bs from the EMI years. Again brilliant tracks, often ground-breaking.

Perhaps some people have a favourite Shads era - but coming to it late in the day I've instead appreciated the different phases of their career and seen them as the best British band due to their obvious excellent musicianship in all their eras. I really think the Shads' first album is better than the Beatles' first album! At the other end of the scale, Reflection is a very enjoyable album.

One theory of mine though is that with the advent of house and dance etc, the Shads had less guitar-based tracks to choose from for their albums. I wondered if that had led to a sense of no longer feeling able to put out music they were happy with. Which perhaps led in turn to Hank turning back the clock with the Hank Plays series...

[drakula63]

Re the Brian Goode comments, yours and mine, I agree he did do a lot of good deals for them and yes I reckon they must have been happy enough with him after all by this time Hank, Bruce and Brian were not nieve enough to be led up the garden path by anyone although I do wonder who was responsible for the selection of tracks for albums as some left a lot to be desired, ie almost the entirety of Simply Shadows which in my personal opinion was possibly the worst Shadows album since Shades of Rock. I personally preferred albums with a mix of good covers plus some one or two vocals and the remainder of original compositions, something in the style of Stepping to the Shadows although Reflection was an excellent album.

Ian

Shades of Rock was brilliant!! In my opinion...

[hbmartin]

Brian Goode has always secured good deals and put a lot of money in their pockets and that's the bottom line. They could have found a new manager if he wasn't doing well for them. It's a numbers game.
I heard a whisper that the Cliff/Shads reunited album was done to stop EMI cashing in on the reunion shows but it's ironic that the album was issued by EMI - and it's because that label offered the best deal. Simples!!!

Well the deals may have been good, but I still think he made a mistake suggesting Hank go solo. The Shads were the sum of the parts, but like a lot of managers in the past who persuaded the front man he could make a lot more money if he didn't have to share it, it doesn't always work out so well. We saw it all the time in the 60,s with groups like Hermans Hermits, the Walker Bros, etc.

I agree with Justin. The management did a poor job I reckon.

[Fenderman]

To be honest, when Hank went solo in the early 90's relations weren't good between the other members, I won't go into details here but it looked like no more albums or tours would happen but we did get some superb 90's albums such as Into the light and Heartbeat that I think contain some of Hank's best solo stuff.

[hankb56]

I think the break in the 90's was what the Shads needed, look at what we got when the reunited for the two anniv tours, totally refreshed and I think Hank working with a different backing band all be it family and friends making up the majority of the personell gave him a different approach to the music!


Ian

[JimN]

Django's Castle (original title Manoir de Mes Reves) is already a familiar piece of music to guitar fans over the past fifty years.

Chet's version (which oddly has the word "reves" aberrantly placed in the composer credit!) :

Joe Pass's SUPERB version:

There was also a minor hit version in the UK by Diz Disley.

There's even a backing track for the tune on Youtube:

JN

[nivram106]

Hi Tony

Did you get the artwork with the album? if you did could you post it on the site please.

Jim

[Tigerdaisy]

It's all a question of marketing and the perception of the public. HBM is the red guitar man not a gypsy jazz guitarist.